Carlisle take the spoils on derby day!

Carlisle continued their run of wins against Wigton with a 24-10 win at Warwick Road. Wigton were all attacking intent and tempo, but in the final reckoning were let down by lack of composure and precision, whilst Carlisle's more conservative game plan prevailed.

Wigton started off strongly, looking to give their backs plenty of ball. The first significant move of the game saw the ball passed to right winger Tom Gardner. He made good ground, dismissing the first tackler with a huge handoff and taking play into the Carlisle 22. However, a loose pass took all the momentum out of the move and the danger passed.

Carlisle made their intentions clear with their first attacking lineout when Bobby Sherlock's catch was driven forward. On this occasion Carlisle blew their chance when they were penalised for going off their feet over the ball. From the subsequent lineout, Wigton got the ball to outside centre Will Miller. He rode out two high tackles to again take play into the Carlisle 22, but Wigton were unable to put the chance away and had to settle for a Charters kick at goal, which was missed.

Shortly afterwards another penalty enabled Wigton to throw into a lineout on the home 22. The forwards tried to build momentum, but a knock on brought the attack to an end. Carlisle tried to bring their midfield backs into play from set plays, but found the Wigton defence in unyielding form. Strong defence yielded a Wigton penalty.

The lineout ball was tapped down by Matthew Atkinson into the hands of scrum half Fergus Ledingham who passed to his flyhalf, David Hanabury. Tom Gardner, coming off his wing, took the short pass and made a total mess of the defence, rampaging through. He sent a long pass out to left winger Johnny Charters. The ball hit the deck, but Charters had enough space and time to pick up and score the game's opening try, which he converted from the touchline for a 0-7 scoreline.

From the kickoff, Wigton regained possession and created another opportunity for Gardner to run. Indeed, whenever he and Miller had the ball in hand, the alarm bells rang in defence and they invariably made ground. However, Wigton's undoing was the fact that their attacking moves all to often came to an end with a fumble, a loose pass or the concession of a penalty.

Carlisle turned to their forwards to generate momentum with their backs being well marked at this point. With hooker Tom Graham and No 8 Lee Brumpton to the fore, they started to attack Wigton round the fringes. Gradually they started to win penalties and one attack gave Weightman the easiest of chances when Wigton were penalised for not rolling away twenty yards out in front of the posts, opening Carlisle's account for a 3-7 score.

Weightman was not shy to use his boot to push Wigton back into their 22. Charters looked to have cleared danger when he produced a huge kick, but it rolled into touch in goal, giving Carlisle a scrum just outside the Wigton 22. They produced a big drive and were rewarded with a penalty, enabling Weightman to make the score 6-7.

Carlisle were put under pressure by the deep kick off and were forced to give away a lineout on their own 22. Wigton tried to build pressure but Graham rescued the situation by ripping the ball out in the tackle. However Carlisle were penalised as they tried to clear and Charters stepped up to kick Wigton into a 6-10 lead.

Wigton went onto the attack from the kick off with Atkinson carrying strongly, but again a knock on let Carlisle off the hook. Weightman again found touch in the Wigton 22 and Carlisle enjoyed several minutes of possession in the Wigton red zone. They got momentum when Carlisle's Miguel Blanco-Charters evaded his tackler. The forwards got to work with a series of pick and goes. Wigton man on man defence held firm but when Carlisle were awarded a penalty they took the option of a scrum, only five metres from the tryline. However, the Wigton eight held firm and Carlisle knocked on as they tried to move the ball. Wigton clearing kick was caught by right winger Barry Earl. His pass to Weightman resulted in a drop at goal which missed and brought the half to a close.

Wigton had enjoyed early dominance, but Carlisle had come back into the game through their pack and Wigton saw little ball in the second quarter.

From the second half kickoff, Wigton fielded the ball and full back Gregg Smith combined with Miller to create another opportunity for Gardner to run, but a speculative pass gave the ball back to Carlisle. The Carlisle Charters tried to beat the defence with a chip, but he knocked on as he tried to regathered the ball. However, the Wigton scrum was penalised and Weightman had another pot at goal. He hit the post but Wigton tried to play their way off their tryline and knocked on.

There followed a frenetic period of play when both sides turned the ball over. Wigton got back into the Carlisle 22 but as they tried to attack the narrow channels a few yards out, they conceded a penalty and another promising attacking position was lost. It was becoming clear that the side which showed most composure would win.

Carlisle suffered a blow when Brumpton had to leave the field, with replacement scrum half Tim Hughes having to slot into the back row. Wigton's frustrations grew as their efforts at the breakdown both in attack and defence, failed to comply with the interpretation of referee Carl Hall of Durham. They lost an attacking position when they were pinged for holding on. Almost immediately afterwards, defending a similar situation, they were penalised for tackler not releasing. Up stepped Weightman, arguably the coolest head on the field, to kick a forty yard effort making the score 9-10.

Wigton came storming back with a tapped penalty. Second row Mark Deans was doing a. Huge amount of ball carrying, often accompanied by Atkinson. No 8 Mark Lee was an effective link with the backs, also probing the fringes. Gardner and Miller continued to create problems but Wigton avoided trying to kick for position. The Carlisle defence held firm. Wigton put together a lot of phases but once again, came up with a knock on. From the scrum, Weightman's kick put Carlisle deep into Wigton territory, where they shortly were awarded a scrum. Weightman moved the ball to Earl on the wing. He hit a great angle, cutting infield and wrong footing the cover defence,going over without a hand being laid on him. Weightman's conversion came back off the post, but Carlisle had a 14-10 lead.

He then made a rare error from the kickoff, putting a clearance straight into touch. Wigton now had a line thirty yards out. They caught and drove, being awarded a penalty about seven yards out. Once again a penalty for holding on terminated the attack. However, at the subsequent line, Lee latched onto a wayward Carlisle throw, and initiated another attack. Smith and Gardner combined to take play up to the 22, but again, a knock on let Carlisle off the hook. There was now an element of desperation in Wigton's attacks and Carlisle's defensive line was moving up quickly. Wigton had to reshape when Ledingham left injured, with skipper Brown moving to scrum half.

Wigton were penalised again for holding on about forty yards from there own line. With only a four point lead and a Wigton try always possible, everyone looked for Weightman to step up for a kick at goal. Instead, scrum half James Rocke took a surprise tap, passing to centre Jared Stewart, who used good running skills to elude the defence and score the decisive try. Weightman made no mistake with the conversion, and at 21-10, the game was beyond Wigton.

There was just time for Wigton to be penalised one more time for holding on. Weightman's final kick of the game put a last coat of gloss on the game for the home team with a score of 24-10.

In the end, victory went to the side which made fewest mistakes. Wigton were able to make ground but knock ons and penalties were their ultimate undoing. Carlisle now will feel that this win has got their season moving in the right direction.

Wigton can reflect on periods when they were strong, some of the handling and line breaks out wide were impressive but then the ball would be lost cheaply . Equally an inconsistent scrummage created pressure on our half backs and led to penalty turnovers, yet when focussed we seemed to be able to dominate the forward exchanges . An inconsistent kicking game also led to important turnovers and territory conceded .

So, a brief time for reflection and recovery before on Tuesday preparation begins for the next challenge - Kendal at home. Rugby in North West 1 is unrelenting with no game a gimmee and upsets to the form book a weekly event. With 15 games to go results and points accumulated suggest a dynamic structure will prevail with final outcomes far from clear; a situation likely to remain so well into the new year.